Twilight of life
by GeorgeTI
Summary: Sequel to Love never dies. Mathew is tormented by guilt, after abandoning his friend John


A/N: Rated M, lemons etc. Sequel to Love Never Dies.

* * *

"There you go, captain"

"Thanks"

The bartender gave the captain of the militia, and knight of the Order of Holy Light, a mug full of strong liquor. The captain took it and went for his small table at the corner of the inn's hall.

It was this time of the year. The time when he drank himself to oblivion, trying to forget the face of his friend, as he left him in the courtyard of the cursed tower in the forest. His cocky smile and sharp retorts. They had known each other from their early days in the field. They got their first assignment to this village, ten years ago. Although they would go away on various missions, they always returned here, to find the other waiting in the inn, with tales and jugs of liquor.

And now, this was gone. Five years ago he abandoned his friend, as he covered for their escape. The guilt almost crippled him. His Commander consoled him as best he could; this was war, after all, they were going to lose people to the monster menace.

He had returned with a full trained platoon a week after, only to find the tower gone without a trace. There wasn't even a clearing or something to signify that something existed here. The force stationed in the village was increased, and that was all they could do. His friend's last words still echoed in his mind.

_Oh, Mat? Don't do anything reckless._

It irked him to no end, the magnitude of his weakness. He trained himself and his men furiously, and made the village well known for its potent guard force, even repelling a surprise raid of werewolves. But he still felt empty. He still missed his friend.

Today was the day, when the fifth year of misery came full circle, and the sixth year began. His face, carved by the stress of training and duty, began showing signs of early ageing, as grey hairs began sprouting from his beard and temples. The situation with the monster forces came to an abrupt truce. No one knew the exact details, and rumours abounded. But the village got some much-needed peace, and he was left with nothing but his nightmares, and the occasional patrol.

But tonight, it would be different. The farmhands that consisted the militia when he first came to the village, were now seasoned warriors. His successor was a bright younger officer, trained in the Commander's camp. He felt at ease, leaving the village behind. Tonight, he would go to meet his fate. He would ride to the monster realm and kill everything he could, every damn monster he could, and take with him as many as possible. He emptied his mug and tossed a few coins on the table. With steady steps, he made his way to the stables. Now, it was time to end it.

* * *

Mathew rode hard along the path to the tower, that was etched to his memory. He knew that he wouldn't find anything there, but his gut told him otherwise. The moon was setting, and the darkness deepened. He urged his horse; he felt the rush of adrenaline, along with a sense of fierce joy that bordered on insanity.

Reaching the location of the tower, the very same location where he arrived with a whole platoon, only to find trees and animals. But now, it was not so. A thick fog covered the area. He knew that kind of fog; he had seen it before.

He stopped his horse, and unloaded his equipment from it. Leaving his farewell message inside the saddle's pocket, he slapped the animal's rear, and looked on as it rushed away. The horse was a trained warhorse; it would find its way back to the stables. He wouldn't need it any more.

He walked forward after strapping his sword and shield on, and lighted a torch. His footsteps resounded in the dark forest, as he entered the mist without a hint of hesitation. He could almost see the exact scenery all those years ago.

The rusty iron gate, between massive stone walls, greeted him again. He was surprised for a moment, and touched it to confirm that his eyes weren't playing tricks on him. The metal felt cold and rough, just as rusted iron should feel. With a mighty kick, he opened the gate and stepped in.

After a few steps he heard the gates slam shut behind him, and smiled. _Just like before… but now I don't have John by my side. Now, I won't run._ He drew his sword.

The tower rose above the mist, looming over him as a constant reminder of his failure. He tightened his grip on his sword. Today he wouldn't run. Today he would die. He made his way to the tower; he knew that John would have done the same. Maybe he would find his remains in the tower and take revenge on the monsters that killed him.

_Where are the skeletons though? There were a ton of them last time. Did John take them all out?_

A loud clanging noise interrupted his thoughts. Two hulking figures stood at the entrance to the tower, bearing massive flails. He threw the torch at them, only to illuminate their hollow shapes. Living armour.

It seemed that John did manage to take out the skeletons, and the owner sought to take more formidable bodyguards. His heart sank. That could only mean that John met his end in the tower. Bringing his shield forth, he bashed his sword against it and took a battle stance.

The suits of armour moved towards him with surprising speed, raising their glowing weapons and bringing them down on him. But the captain of the guard was no novice; his training and numerous encounters with agile and strong monsters gave him an edge against the slow moving flails of the masses of metal. Hitting them with his sword, however, proved to be ineffective. Piercing them seemed to do no damage. Thinking quickly, Mathew decided to use their own weapons against them, parrying the flail blows and directing them to the other, leading to a satisfying bump and metallic noise of metal bashing against metal. Soon, the armours' movements grew sluggish, and after some well-placed bashes with his shield, they collapsed into heaps of misshapen steel.

He took a moment to catch his breath; his age was starting to take its toll on his body. After a good few minutes he stood up and kicked the wooden door open. The light of green flame torches greeted him, as his steel-clad boots and full plate armour echoed in the corridors. He wondered if John passed through here, seeking to kill the master of the tower.

With sword drawn, he began searching each room methodically. Each room was exceptionally clean; that fact set him on edge. Someone lived here, that was clear. And, with all the noise his fight made, they were aware of his presence. He explored the first two floors without encountering anyone, but he could have sworn he heard noises of whispering and giggling. Clenching his teeth, he opened a door to find himself inside a dinner room.

The torches lighted up, as usual, casting pale green light to the room. The table was clean and set for two, with candles illuminating its smooth surface. However, in this room, he was not alone.

A lone figure stood by the head of the table, opposite of him. Her bleached blonde hair reached her waist, and her luxurious dress clung tightly on her, accentuating her curves. Her eyes glowed red, as they met him.

"Oh, my… we have a guest. It has been so long since we last had one."

Her voice was melodic and smooth, and Mathew lost his composure for a second, before his battle instincts took hold. Luckily for him, the woman didn't make a move. Mentally cursing himself for being distracted before a monster, he decided to try and get some information.

"Greetings, my lady." he said with a small bow. His knight upbringing made some habits impossible to give up. "Pardon my intrusion. My name is Mathew. I seek news of a friend of mine, and I was wondering if you could help me."

"My, my, such manners! Well, of course I will help you if I can, dear Mathew. My name is Anna. Who is the friend you seek?"

"He is a mage, about my height. He has brown hair and blue eyes. His name is John."

The woman before him pondered a bit, then smiled. "Why, yes, I do remember a young man like that! Why do you seek him?"

"He is alive?!" Mathew cried, before composing himself. "Ehmm, pardon me, my lady. He is my dear friend, and I have been looking for him for the past five years. Will you be so kind as to tell me of his whereabouts?"

The woman's smile grew wider. "Why, yes, I can tell you… but I am afraid, I can't part with such information without first making sure you are a friend."

_Are you shitting me? Is this a cheap adventure novel? Do I embark on an epic quest to prove myself?!_

Hiding his irritation, Mathew pressed on. "What do you have in mind, my lady?"

"Nothing too serious, let me assure you. I just need to look into your eyes really close. None can lie to me, you know."

More nervous than ever, the captain approached cautiously, sheathing his sword but keeping his hand on the hilt. The woman's eyes followed him, glowing even more intensely as he kept coming closer. He stopped at his arm's length from her, as dictated by noble etiquette, and bowed again.

Her wide smile did not fade, as she looked straight into his eyes. He felt his mind scream danger, his body tensing, but he kept his gaze firmly locked into hers. Her face was much more visible in the candlelight now, and he could see that, while in human form, this was certainly no human.

"My, what strong willpower..." he heard her whisper. "Your eyes do not lie. But I wonder… does your heart also beat true?"

Without any warning, Mathew felt an impossibly strong force pushing and slamming him against the wall. Gritting his teeth, he tried to push against the unseen force.

"No need to struggle, dear. Even the strongest man-"

With a dexterous twist he released the inner latches of his armour, freeing his hands, and with a quick movement he opened the external ones, causing his full plate to fall with a clang against the floor. The force keeping his armour on the wall kept the other half firmly standing.

He drew his sword and smashed on it a small vial of holy water. _Undead nobles… wights. Damn, this is going to be a tough nut to crack._

"I suppose playtime is over, then" Anna said with a sigh. "Pity, I was having fun."

"Agreed, _my lady_" he said, as he dropped into a battle stance.

With a snap of the wight's fingers, the door burst open and two more living armours stepped in. Mathew calculated his odds and his surroundings. The living armours had the same weapons as the ones outside, so he could use the same strategy, but with his shield firmly held against the wall, he would have to improvise. His mobility was much greater, though, without the heavy plate constricting his movements. He jumped out of the way of the armour's flail, and hit the hollow inside, earning a pained cry. The holy water was effective on those monsters…

Looking at the dents of those armours, he realized that they were the exact same he faced outside, but with his sword steeped in holy water, now he could finish the job. His cuts were fast and precise, and the pained cries of the monsters followed his strikes. Soon, one armour fell to a heap, the other one soon to follow.

He looked around, panting. There was no sight of the wight; she must have fled when the fight started. He sheathed his sword and straightened himself.

Then he felt two ice cold yet incredibly soft hands press to him from behind. He tried to move, but his strength left him almost instantly, and weakness took over him like a tidal wave. His knees gave in, and darkness overcame him.

* * *

He woke up on a soft and luxurious bed. The curtains were closed, but he knew that someone was nearby. He tried to move his hands, but his body was still weak.

"Good evening, dear."

He turned his head to see the pair of glowing red eyes. Anna smiled gently, as she undid the buttons of his shirt and exposed his chest.

Mathew grit his teeth and closed his eyes. "Just be quick."

Silence followed, then came the genuinely amused laughter of the wight. He dared open his eyes, to look at her amused face. "Why, what did you think I would do, my dear? Something grisly like eating your heart?" She kept laughing at his confused face.

Anna wiped a tear from her eye, as she composed herself. Mathew's mind was a mess. _What kind of sadistic games does this bitch have in mind?!_

However, nothing could prepare him for what his captor had in mind.

Her hand crept over his torso, stroking it gently, and rested on his heart, which began beating furiously. Her alluring smile widened. "Your heart does beat true, my dear Mathew. Such life force..." her voice trailed off. With a snap of her fingers, he felt his clothes being pulled from his body. Anna stood up, and undid the buttons of her own dress, with deliberate slowness, before taking it off and handing it to an unseen entity. The garment flowed in the air and hang itself in a nearby rack.

"How…?"

"Oh, nevermind my ghost maids. I am more interested in you."

**A/N: Long and Explicit Sexy Times Ahead**

Mathew saw her naked body, white as alabaster, glowing with some inner light, with perfect curves, as she walked towards the bed. He gulped audibly. This seemed to please Anna, as her smile widened. She climbed on the bed and straddled him, her eyes glowing ever brighter with desire.

Her skin was ice cold, yet somehow soft and comforting. The feeling of fatigue returned, along with comfort. He felt his muscles relax on their own, as she leaned on him, her ample breasts pushing against his chest. His heart began beating ever faster, matching his erratic breath. Anna leaned and kissed his neck, earning a shudder from the man beneath her. She kept kissing him, trailing her lips from his neck to the side of his face, to his left ear, while her hands stroked his head, his face, his chest.

He felt her body shift a little, as she moved to the side, hugging him like a pillow. She started humming in his ear while nibbling on it, her tune soothing enough to cause his eyelids to lower. Her right foot, still clad in stockings, rose and started stroking his manhood, delicately. The feeling of her foot, and the silk it was encased, breathed life in his genitals, that rose and hardened. Extending her legs, Mathew saw her stoking being pulled, leaving her perfect legs bare to continue their work.

He groaned as his manhood made direct contact with her skin, her feet accurately hitting sensitive spots he didn't even know he had. The sudden feeling of Anna's tongue in his ear stalled his breath for a bit, before groaning again, his arousal evident.

She smeared the precum leaking from his aching pole with the tips of her toes, playing around with his swollen, throbbing manhood. His mind was swirling, as her body, now fully naked, rubbed against his, her cheeks gaining an ever-so-slight tinge of red, and her breath tickled his face. Her hand drew his face to the side, facing hers, before pushing it and joining their lips in a soft kiss.

Her lips had a sweet taste, and were cold… at first. But as she kept pecking on his own, her whole body seemed to warm up to match her flushed face. Her breath picked up its pace, as well as her strokes. Mathew felt his lust bubbling from his gut, ramming its way to his teased manhood. Anna seemed to sense that too, and she traced the churning feeling in him with her hand, tracing his muscles with her fingertips, increasing his urge for release.

His rod throbbed even harder, encouraged by her feet stroking it. His senses began to dim, as his lust reached its peak. A light pinch from her toes set off a series of sparks that travelled all the way from his member through his spine to his head and everywhere in his body. His back arced and his limbs shuddered, and he closed his eyes as his orgasm overtook him, releasing thick white liquid on Anna's feet and legs, and along his torso.

He stood motionless, panting heavily, his mouth slightly open. He opened his eyes to see Anna studying his face intently, with an alluring smile, before kissing him again, her tongue slipping into his mouth and sending his senses tumbling down a tunnel of ecstasy.

She broke the kiss gently, and smiled at his expression. "You have the most delightful face when you reach your peak, beloved. I'll make sure to see it every night." She dipped her finger in the proof of his submission, and brought it to her lips. "Mmmmm, and the sweetest taste, too." she whispered, before turning her attention to the white stains on his body, licking them with wet sounds.

Mathew was paralysed from the assault on his body and his senses. He looked in a daze as Anna lapped his fluids from his abdomen with an entranced expression. His nose was filled with her sweet scent, a mixture of roses and jasmine, but another smell drew his attention. A hot wet sensation pointed at its source: her womanhood was dripping thick juices on his arm. With newfound strength, he obeyed his instinct blindly, and grabbed her pelvis, yanking it to his face. Anna's squeal was replaced by a long silky moan, as he joined his lips with her lower mouth. The wight squirmed, rubbing her thighs at his head, while her tongue and fingers began working at his revived manhood.

He filled his nose with her smell, his tongue with her taste. His sense of touch was going haywire; he was overwhelmed by the combined feelings of her body on his, her breasts pushing against his abdomen, her thighs clamping around his head, her fingers teasing and massaging his rod and scrotum, her mouth torturing his manhood with otherworldly pleasure, her heart beating through her breasts, the twitching of her inner walls against his tongue. Anna's body felt so… alive. Her assault became more aggressive, and the signs of her coming climax warned his male instincts of the coming tide. With a long moan that sent vibrating pleasure down his rod and through his spine, Anna took all of his manhood in her mouth, and pressed her womanhood on his, hugging him tightly, while he did the same. The waves of release hit both of them hard, shuddering and tightening their grip.

Mathew struggled to keep his senses; he couldn't miss any of the crescendo of Anna's body as it cried in joy. He felt her releasing him with a wet plop, yet he was still hard. Her body shifted, and the face he faced made him almost numb. Gone was the face of dignified politeness and royal calm. What looked at him was the face of unbridled lust, a loose expression of a perfect face, flushed and panting, her eyes glowing and piercing into him. He gulped at the sight, making her flash a predatory smile, before lunging at him, kissing him deeply.

Her tongue fought his fiercely, her hands grappled his head. His own hands grabbed her and lined her orifice with his twitching meat pole. She pushed her hips down with a bestial grunt, her juices being displaced by his member and leaking around with lewd wet noises. She started ramming him furiously and violently, her body smacking his. Her liquids eased the friction between their bodies, and enveloped him in a warm embrace. He grabbed her now hot bottom and started ramming back for all he was worth. His muscles ached but he wouldn't care. All that was important now was Anna, fucking him like there was no tomorrow. He plunged head first into the struggle, attacking her body from every angle, every spot. Her grunts grew louder, along with his own. His rod pulsed, demanding release, throbbing against her own pulsing walls. With a final effort, Anna's hips slammed on him hard, her feet wrapped around his own, and a moaning growl vibrated her breasts, sending him over the edge. He grabbed her head, firmly securing her lips, and pushed her ass downwards, until his tip touched the entrance of her womb. He released his seed deep inside her, as the waves of pleasure overtook him, and Anna's embrace guided him to blissful darkness.

* * *

He woke up sore and slightly aching, but with a sense of fulfilment he hadn't felt in years. He felt a slight tickle on his neck, and turned gently to look at its source.

Anna was still sleeping, her hair dishevelled, her face snowy white. He felt the ends of his mouth curl up to a smile. She looked so peaceful and innocent, totally different from the lustful wight that squeezed him dry earlier. He kissed her forehead gently, earning a slight smile as she cuddled herself closer to him. Fatigue overtook him again, her image the last thing he saw before drifting off to dreamland.

[Later…]

"Wake up, darling, the sun has already set."

Mathew opened his eyes to Anna's caress. Her blood red dress matched her eyes, hugging her body. He smiled as he stood up.

"Good evening, my lady."

"Oh, no need for formalities now, silly. Come, get dressed. Someone you know wants to see you."

Looking around, Mathew was confused to see his clothes gone. "Ehmm…. My clothes?"

Anna smiled. "Come now, you seriously didn't believe that I would let my husband wander around in that rags. You are a noble now, you should look the part."

"I don't actually follow you, my la-"

"Anna. Just… Anna." she said with a faint blush.

"All right… Anna. You said you would tell me of John?"

Her smile widened. "Get dressed, already. We have been invited to breakfast. You will find all your answers there."

Mathew stepped into the dining room, this time with Anna clinging to his arm. The room didn't show any signs of the battle that took place; even the damage on the furniture was repaired to perfection. As they came in, he heard the clattering of cutlery. Two cloaked figures sat at the long table, close to each other.

"Greetings, Vanessa. I hope you didn't wait long." Anna said casually.

"Greetings to you too, Anna. See, dear, I told you things will work out eventually." The cloaked figure answered in a woman's voice, stroking the hand of the other one.

The other one made a surprised sound and jumped up. It approached the couple, almost running.

"Mat! What are you doing here?!"

Mathew was dumbstruck. He hadn't heard this voice since…

John threw back the hood of his cloak, and embraced his old friend. He looked almost the same as the last time he saw him, albeit much better dressed and groomed. His skin was pale and his eyes had a purple hue.

"Ooof! John! You are alive!"

"More or less…"

Mathew smiled. "I guess we have some catching up to do."

"That, we do. Come, sit. When Anna told us she would bring a special guest, I never imagined it would be you."

As the newly wed couple made its way to their seats, one could notice the change of posture and step of Mathew, now having the bearing of a man at his twenties. Anna clung to him closer, flashing a loving smile at the change of her husband. The two of them sat, chatting lively, as their new life along with their friends was unfolding in front of them.

* * *

A/N: Mathew was a member of the Order, so he knew little of what a monster does to a man. Read and review.


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